Christmas Brew
by cutekitty5597
Summary: Sometimes there's more to Christmas than Kaneki suspects.


Kaneki shivers as he enters the warm coffee shop, thankful to get out of the cold wind. Unwrapping his scarf from his neck, he takes his usual sniff of the coffee-scented air, something that always calmed him down as well as warming him up, figuratively of course.

"Such a creepy habit," Touka mutters as she continues to grind the coffee beans ready for today's customers. Which brings Kaneki's attention back to the smell of the coffee beans, there was something else to the aroma of them other than the bitter, but yet rich smell than he loved.

Kaneki takes another sniff, is it nutmeg, cinnamon?

"I see you appreciate the Christmas blend," Koma cuts in, answering Kaneki's question of the mysterious smell. "I came up with it myself," he continues proudly as he walks over to the counter and readies a cup.

"Want to try some?" Kaneki nods and is about to go over to help himself but a sharp glare by Touka he stops and takes a few steps back.

"I'll get changed first," he says quickly before backing away into the backroom, to get changed and to get away from Touka's glare.

Shutting the door behind him, he sighs deeply and retrieves his uniform,_ it's almost Christmas eh? _ Looking at his uniform wistfully he wonders what type of Christmas he'll have this year. To him the holiday wasn't very memorable…well there had been four.

_The first Christmas Kaneki remembers, is magical, well what he can remember. He was only around about four, but he does remember a few things. First his father was there; he doesn't remember his _face_ but he does remember that he read to him. Books, articles, and fairy tales almost anything that his father picked up. The next that there was no snow, Kankei remembers this only because he was looking so forward to the white Christmas that were in the stories his father had told him about. He also promised one, maybe Kaneki should have known better._

_The next his mother doesn't remember, but Kaneki does. The only decorations in the house are a picture frame and food offerings. Instead of the scent of oranges and nutmeg, the smell of incense replaces it. His mother isn't even there for most of Christmas day, working an extra shift, so Kaneki spends his Christmas alone. Somehow this doesn't deter him, instead when she come back from work Kaneki is waiting with a plate beside him fast asleep. The plate contained burnt pieces of hamburger that Kaneki tried to cook. Smiling his _mum_ picks up Kaneki and kisses him goodnight._

_Funnily enough he remembers this one, because he completely forgets; the holiday he loved so much is another cold day near the end of the year. He only remembers it's the run up to Christmas when his aunt drags him and his cousin out for shopping. It's pretty mundane of what he can remember until they pass a bookshop and one of the displayed books caught his eye. Running up to his aunt he asks. A few minutes later Kaneki is the proud owner of a brand new book. That was the first Sen _Takastuki_ Sen book he got._

_It was in his last year of high school was the next memorable one. Despite upcoming exams somehow, his class had managed to be persuaded to take part in Secret Santa, which was the reason Kaneki is roaming the shops bracing the freezing weather. He does find a suitable present for his classmate though he does grumble at the effort. Next day Kaneki leave the school feeling slightly disheartened he didn't receive anything. Though as soon as he thought that Hide jumps up on him waving a present, his secret Santa present. Surprisingly enough that year the White Christmas came._

"Your coffee's getting cold," Touka sharply says and Kaneki looks up having completely forgotten about the brew he promised to try.

"Um…" he starts and Touka rolls her eyes and passes Kaneki his apron, which Kaneki gratefully takes.

"Thanks Touka-chan," Touka raises a calculated eyebrow, and Kaneki thinks she's going to back a sharp comment and walk out. Instead, she mutters something about how annoying the manager is before reaching behind one of the coffee bags and brings out a carefully wrapped package.

"Merry Christmas," Touka mutters, not looking Kaneki in the eye as he takes the parcel and opens it carefully not wanting to damage the wrapping paper.

"Sissy," Touka brushes her bangs but remains there wanting to see his reaction. She was the one who suggested it and together with the rest of the employee's chipped in to get it. Not that she would ever admit it.

Peeling away the last piece of tape from the paper. It falls away to reveal the latest book by Takatsuki, something that he had been admiring in the book shop for weeks. Kaneki's face lights up in a grin.

"Thanks so much Touka-chan." Touka lost in her thoughts on how to explain that this book wasn't just from her gets surprised by a hug from Kaneki.

Touka blushes and stiffens, "idiot, don't go reading it in your breaks, I'll kill you if you do." She states before stalking off back to the front of the shop, leaving Kaneki alone again.

Smiling Kaneki places the book back in his bag carefully,

_I guess this will be the fifth_.

* * *

**Hey, so this was my secret santa present for kaneyakiwest on tumblr. I was meant to post this early but forgot opps. Anyway I think this is set somehwere between Aogiri tree arc and the gourmet arc.**

**Happy New Year**

**~ Tash 31/12/14**


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